


365 In Hell

by melancholymoons



Category: 365 Fresh - Triple H (Music Video), HyunA - Fandom, Pentagon (Korea Band), Triple H (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Crimes & Criminals, Detective Noir, Detectives, F/M, Multi, Mystery, Other, Vampires, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2020-10-05 13:35:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20489726
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melancholymoons/pseuds/melancholymoons
Summary: Hyuna is a vampire, Hui is her best friend and partner. Together they work for the Seoul Police Department. When a series of murders that are eerily familiar to Hyuna start happening, she begins her quest to find out whether she really is the only vampire in Seoul.





	1. Cold Morning

**Author's Note:**

> hello!
> 
> I've been working on this fic for a while now, I've tried to write something a little more serious so please take caution when reading this!
> 
> CW: blood, death, violence, it's about vampires and murders so like general bad stuff I guess? Maybe nsfw? who knows?
> 
> Anyway, enjoy!
> 
> p.s. please let me know what you think <3

‘It was 9:15 when she stepped out of her cold dark apartment building and into the grey bustling streets of Seoul, the Manhattan of Korea. She climbed into my car with the ease and grace of a silver screen dame, boots climbing up her slender legs. She was icy and gorgeous, her lips dark red like a cold midnight killing. They turned at the corners like a dangerous doll, smiling at the bleak world. She turned to me, her partner of seven years, her sunset hair like rose petals fell down her shoulders. Just like a rose was she, though her thorns would only prick if you got too close and I made sure never to do just that.’

‘Are you finished?’

I asked him, pulling the seat-belt across my chest. Hui was sat in the driver’s seat, his collar a little creased but the badge that hung on his right pocket shone with all the extra care he took in it.

‘I practiced that all night,’

He pouted, his voice changing from the deep narrative he was in five minutes before and shook his head tapping his hands against the steering wheel.

‘I’ve told you to stop watching those old noir movies late at night.’

‘They just make our job seem so much more- ‘

‘If you say exciting I’m calling the Chief and quitting right this second.’

He sighed heavily and reached beside him bringing out a large wrapped bagel, he gestured it towards me, the cream cheese oozed from it and the smell was almost too much for me to take. I shook my head and he rolled his eyes before taking a large bite.

‘I made sure to get one I liked this time.’

After a minute he started the engine, tossing the wrapping into the backseat where it joined a part of his ongoing collection.

‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day,’

He said with his mouth full, I turned to him and from the corner of his eyes he saw me and swallowed heavily, keeping his gaze on the road ahead of us.

‘I’m not a breakfast person.’

‘I know,’

He said quieter trailing off at the end. Hui carried most of the conversation on the way to work as he usually did, telling me about his evenings, his visits with his Mum, to anyone else they would seem mundane, but his ordinary life made me feel a way I’d never felt before. Just as we were turning the crackling static of the radio filled the small car and I sat up in my seat, the leather of my jacket squeaking against the car interior.

‘Detectives Kim? Lee?’

‘We’re here Chief what’s up? We’re pulling into the station now.’

The serious demeanor that came over Hui whenever he was in work mode was always fascinating to watch, he clicked the indicator on when the Chief cut him off.

‘No. We need you here, 46th Daehak-ro, Quickly.’

Hui looked over to me and mouthed something, his brow arched aggressively, and I leant into the radio.

‘We’ll be there in 10, Boss.’

‘Be prepared. It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before, there’s so much blood.’

The static stilled as did the atmosphere in the car, Hui turned the siren on and then looked across at me.

‘Will you be alright?’

His voice was soft and caring and I tried to ignore the inkling of annoyance I felt knowing he only ever came from a place of compassion, I nodded chewing the bottom of my lip. Before long we arrived at the scene of chaos, several police cars were parked along the street, a large white van that belonged to the local coroner was right outside the house that was covered in yellow tape. I swallowed hard. Stepping out the car the smell hit me so strongly I wobbled on my feet, Hui was quick at my side, but I held my hand up to let him know I was fine just as our boss was approaching us. Chief of police Yang Hongesok was younger than most heads of departments but what he lacked in age he made up with initiative, his face was hard as he stood before us.

‘It’s a fucking mess.’

He breathed exhausted.

‘What’s happened?’

Hui asked, and Chief Yang just shook his head, shoving his hands in his long black coat.

‘You’ll want to come this way,’

He turned, and we followed him as a police officer held up the warning tape and the closer we got to the door the stronger the stench, and my stomach began to gnaw at me, so much so my head started to spin. I leant against the door frame as Hui and I entered the house. There it was splashed and stained across the walls as if the house was a canvas and the medium of choice was blood. Hui turned to me quickly whilst Chief Yang had his back to us.

‘Is this safe? Should you be here right now?’

There was a pounding in my head as the smell of the blood caused my throat to close; I wanted to scratch at it, tear it apart so that I would be able to breathe. Hui’s gaze held mine strongly and I shook myself before standing straight.

‘I’m fine.’

I told him, walking past him and into the murder scene, I turned to the young man that was knelt down by the body – the body of a young girl, years younger than me, too young to be dead. Her hair was caked in the thick red, clumps of it sticking to her bare back, her limbs were outstretched flat against the floor, contorted in inhumane shapes.

‘What do we have here doc?’

I asked the coroner, he looked up at me and I heard his heartbeat so deafening against hers that was now silent and gone.

‘Detective Kim, it’s nice to see you, unfortunate it had to be under these circumstances.’

I nodded, and he took me through the injuries that were evident on the body, Hui stood above us writing in his small black book, he left shortly after to speak to the first responding police officer and I stood in the slowly emptying room. Coroner Shin lowered his voice before taking out a pair of plastic gloves.

‘There’s something, odd.’

He hesitated but pulled back some of the blonde hair to reveal the paling neck of the young girl. Death didn’t bother me. Death was all I had ever known so when I became a detective that was one thing I was certain I could handle, what I couldn’t handle, what made me want to scream and run away at that very moment, were the two small red puncture holes deep in her neck.

‘I’ve never seen anything like it.’

Shin sounded astounded, his eyes were wide and puzzled, he looked at me as if I too would feel the same, the familiar itch at my throat made me stumble to my feet. I turned on my heels quickly and pushed my way past the officer that stood by the door.

‘Take down all the notes Coroner Shin gives you.’

I mumbled quickly, feeling the air leave the room, feeling an empty sickness in my stomach climb its way up my body. The closer I got to the door the faster my pace picked up until I was running, I passed Hui and Chief Yang.

‘Hyuna? Hyuna where are you going?’

I heard him calling me, but it slowly drowned away with the pounding of my head, I was far enough away now to not be able to smell the blood and I stopped, clutching at my chest. There was no way, it was impossible - there could not be another Vampire here in Seoul.


	2. Cold Slab

I kept quiet on the way back to the station, Hui had the sense not to ask me about the walk out either, so we drove in silence. His heart was beating quicker than usual and I could see it pounding in his neck the way it did when he was nervous, but he kept his gaze ahead of him, trying his hardest to ignore me.

It was thirteen years ago when Hui found me, or more so I found him – it had been weeks since I’d fed, and the pain was driving me into a frenzy. I was hidden in the alley behind a shake shop, stumbling in my weakened state when I smelt the most intoxicating, sweet musk that belonged to this scrawny, tall, spectacled kid who was staring down at me with concerned eyes.

‘Are you okay Miss?’

He asked me with his squeaky voice, hand outstretched, his sleeves just riding above his wrists where I could see the blue of his veins so vibrant I squinted and bit down on my lips, hard enough that I could taste my own blood.

‘Do you have someone I could call?’

Still his hand was out towards me, waiting for me to grab it so he could lead me inside and feed me, get me home safe; but all I could see was his pulse and all I could hear was my stomach growling at his quickening heartbeat. I’m not proud of what happened next, the way his eyes watered with fear and confusion, the way I towered over him and how my face contorted grotesquely into a terrifying bite. Just as I was about to give in and end him, he turned to me again with those soft brown eyes and gulped.

‘I’m sorry.’

He said. I’m sorry.

I don’t know whether he was apologising for interrupting me and getting himself in this situation or if he was sorry I had to do this – that I was _this_. But, I dropped my grip on him quickly, I cowered away ashamed, disgusted, terrified at my own existence

Hui had been with me ever since, always at my side, teaching me humility and making me a better person; if it was possible for the undead to be better.

As we pulled up to the Police Station, the same white van from earlier was already parked and my head buzzed with knowing that the body was already inside. Hui opened the door at my side and we walked in to a scene of several people running around with files of paper. We walked past the rows of desks and boards with mugshots pinned upon them until we came to a quiet, grey corridor that led straight to the autopsy room. I grabbed Hui by the arm and he jumped slightly at my cold touch.

‘Before we go in, there’s something you should know,’

I started but just as I was hesitantly about to tell him of my discovery, Coroner Shin was rushing down the hallway towards us.

‘Ah Hui, Hyuna, I’m glad you’re here.’

He walked straight past us and we followed accordingly into the still room of the station Morgue. Hui breathed out a little with the chill and the skin around his cheeks lost its soft pink which always made me feel a little sad. Shin walked round the other side of the slab, his white coat trailing behind him; he reached for the cloth that was covering the dead and pulled it back swiftly revealing the placid corpse of the young murdered girl. I tried to keep my eyes on her the way any detective would but those two small –

‘What have you found?’

Hui took his notebook out again and with a swift click of a pen was already jotting things down, I stood hands in my pockets watching as he and Shin did a detailed dance; giving and receiving information that would aid the case.

‘The peculiar thing is, these two holes here,’

Shin placed one of his blue gloved hands on the pale neck of the girl just around the punctures.

‘I can’t find anything that resembles the shape, I’ve tried all these tools, but I can’t figure out what’s made them.’

By the side of him was a small metal table covered in an array of objects, some household tools others medical and I sighed a little knowing that no matter how hard he tried he wouldn’t find the cause with any of those. Hui hummed as he wrote down the size and dimension of the holes.

‘Thanks, Shinwon, we’ll be back later if there’s any new updates.’

Hui and I turned on our heels and I was thankful to be leaving the girl behind but Shinwon coughed and we looked over at him confused.

‘There’s something else you should know. She’s completely dry.’

‘What?’

I asked this time, my voice a little hoarse.

‘She’s had a big quantity of blood taken from her, she’s been drained.’

I felt my mouth hang open even though I already knew, of course she would be but when he said it out loud it made this whole thing concrete. Hui looked away from Shin and stared at me, one perfectly sculptured eyebrow raised, and I had to look away from him, the shame of that night we first met creeping up my throat.

Hui grabbed me and pulled me to the side, we were face to face in the small side hallway outside the Morgue, shadows covering our faces.

‘This is what I think it is, isn’t it?’

He whispered but I could hear the fear rising in his voice.

‘I’m not sure,’

‘Don’t give me that Hyuna, there’s more of you.’

I titled my head at him and creased my brows.

‘That’s not what I meant I’m sorry, just this is fucked up.’

‘You’re telling me.’

I could hear him sigh even though the darkness of the hallway was covering most of his face and I felt guilt spring upon me. I never wanted him to be dragged into my world.

‘What do we do here? This goes beyond our job role, isn’t there some type of supernatural police force we could call?’

Again, I just looked at him and he shook his head smiling and I felt myself smile along with him.

‘I have to find who this is Hui. I have to know if they’re - if they’re the same as me and if I’m not alone.’

‘And then what?’

His voice became soft and caring and I felt my chest heave with every word he said because I didn’t know, I hadn’t thought of anything other than the possibility of another vampire being here in the city.


	3. Shot in the Dark

In the week that passed three more bodies were found all with those haunting bites and yet still I had no idea who was making them. I’d spent hours every night combing through my old hunting spots, any place I could think of, but it was all pointless, I had and always would be the only vampire in Seoul. But that wasn’t true, it couldn’t be, not if someone or something was going around killing the way my kind do. We were sat in Chief Yang’s office, it was covered in clutter and empty coffee cups and I leant against his desk as he paced the room whilst smoke trailed behind him.

‘I thought you quit?’

Hui asked pointing his pen towards the lit cigarette.

‘I have.’

Hongseok took another drag.

‘I’m going to.’

Hui shook his head and then turned back to his notes, flipping the pages too fast for me to know he wasn’t reading them. Hongseok stopped pacing and stubbed out the cigarette butt in the ash tray by my hand, I winced a little as I thought of how bad his blood must taste with all that nicotine swimming through it. He slumped down in his big leather chair, rested his hands on the wood of his desk and sighed heavily.

‘Please tell me you guys have leads.’

Hui shot me a look and I turned to the Chief and shook my head to his disappointment. He groaned and pressed the small black button to start the intercom and a muffled woman’s voice came through.

‘Janet, call Channel 5 news. We’re going to have to hold a press conference.’

The woman hummed in agreement and a small click ended the conversation. Me and Hui both stood up straight in unison staring at Hongseok.

‘Chief, I don’t mean to question your judgment but is that a good idea?’

Hui shifted uncomfortably on his feet and I could hear that all too familiar quickening of his heartbeat.

‘You got any better ones?’

‘What good will that do?’

I asked, my voice thick with confusion.

‘Surely it’ll just cause a mass panic?’

‘We’re in serial killer territory here Hyuna, that line has already been crossed.’

I mulled over what he said; it was true some smaller news outlets had already got a hold of the first murder and surely more would follow. If we addressed the situation publicly we would be one step ahead and more exposure would mean more information coming forward. The killer would also see us, and if somehow, I could get a message across that I knew what they were, that I was one of the same then maybe they’d expose themselves. I knew my role as detective and in essence a protector of this city was important, in the years before starting my job I’d told myself aiding humanity was the least I could do with this immortality. No longer would I cause harm, but I’d try to live amongst them and _be_ them but my need to feel a sense of belonging was never satisfied like this and finding more of my own kind – the urgency was almost too much to hide.

‘I’ll do it.’

Hongseok looked at me with a brow arched and I saw Hui turn in shock.

‘I’ll do the press conference.’

‘No, she won’t.’

Hui stepped forward almost blocking me from Hongseok’s view.

‘I mean, she can’t we-‘

‘It would really aid the case and I appreciate your efforts Hyuna. I’ll let Janet know to tell you when the camera crew gets here. Make sure you stress that the situation is being investigated thoroughly, the purpose is not to cause panic.’

I nodded and before I could turn to leave Hui had grabbed my arm and was dragging me out the door. He led me down the front stairs of the station and opened his car door, gesturing for me to get inside, I did so slowly, watching as his face was stern and cold in a way that never seemed to suit him. When inside he turned to me, his greying face filling me with worry.

‘Are you insane?!’

‘Huh?’

‘You can’t do that press conference.’

I searched him, looking at his soft pink tie that was loose around his neck, the spot of coffee on the corner of his collar that was there after he missed his mouth this morning and my heart felt heavy.

‘Why not? You’re always banging on about how I should get out there more and besides this is work related, so I’m being professional. I thought you’d be proud.’

He sighed quietly and sat back into the car seat avoiding my eyes.

‘It’s just,’

He started and this time the hard demenour melted away as quickly as it came, and he looked down at his hands.

‘You can’t can you? Be on tv I mean. Like they won’t_ see_ you. And then everyone will know, and you’ll be in danger.’

There was a silence that seemed to last an eternity as what he just said fully sunk in and then I raised my hand to my mouth to cover the laughter that was seconds away from bursting. Hui shyly wrung his hands.

‘Please say that again.’

This time he turned to me and his eyes were as big as a deer’s full and genuine and this made it all the harder not to really laugh.

‘You know, you won’t be seen on camera because you’re -,’

He waved his hands in my general direction.

‘Because I’m a vampire?’

‘Yes, exactly!’

I rolled my eyes hard and started to open the car door.

‘Buffy is not a form of documentary on us okay? Honestly...’

I was shaking my head as I left his car and he followed me like a little puppy, tugging at the leather on my arm.

‘So, all this time we could have taken selfies? But you said!’

My laughter was light and loud, like a nostalgic melody that made me feel young again and we went back inside, greeted by Janet who was accompanied by two men, one comically larger than the other.

‘Uh, they’re ready if you are.’

Janet stuttered, and I gave Hui one last quick glance and saw his cheeks redden with embarrassment and I took my place behind the already made up podium.

‘Let’s get this show on the road.’

The smaller camera man ran a hand through his floppy hair and gestured to his taller counterpart who stumbled slightly towards me.

‘Don’t worry, he’s as awkward as he looked.’

Jinho, as his badge gave away, moved to the side as his accomplice who was much younger than him began to fumble with the mic wires. His hand brushed against the bare skin of my collarbones and I felt the heat of his touch burning a hole inside me; he stopped, frigid, his cheeks flushing the most violent red. He looked at me through thick lashes and strands of hair that fell through his cap, I tried to smile as nonchalantly as I could knowing he had felt nothing but ice.

‘I think it’s on there pretty good now Wooseok,’

Jinho tutted as he pulled Wooseok from me, I thanked the taller of the pair and saw the red in his cheeks deepen. Jinho ran through the usual instructions, don’t cover the mic with hair, remember to look straight ahead and make sure it didn’t look like I was just reading straight from the prompter. I nodded along playing the role of dutiful officer. Hongseok came up to me amidst the chaos of paper ruffling and last-minute checks.

‘Remember,’

He said his voice grave.

‘We’re asking for any eye witnesses to come forward with any information of suspicious activity during the past week. We are only informing the public of the current situation, we want them to – ‘

‘think we know what we’re doing?’

I finished for him. He gave a begrudging smile and nodded before stepping off into the dark where the camera lights barely lit his long silhouette. By the side of him I could see Hui, his tie was crumpled where he’d been playing with it and even from here I could hear his heartbeat. I looked straight ahead of me and took a deep breath. Now I would have a chance to find them; now I’d know if I was the only vampire in Seoul. Jinho mouthed a countdown beside the huge black camera and when he dropped his last finger, silence echoed through the station.

‘Good Afternoon, I am Detective Kim Hyuna of the Korean Central Intelligence Agency.’

I could feel my voice shake as it went up my throat and came out in a sound I could scarcely recognise as my own. I glanced down at the papers in front of me.

‘Currently we are investigating the murder of a young woman; the circumstances of this case are unusual which is why we are asking for anyone with any information to come forward.’

The tugging in my chest was growing stronger and as I flipped through what was written before me and as I gave the correct information Chief Yang had asked for; I thought about them – the one doing this. I could see the camera crew prepare to end the transmission and I ran my tongue across my bottom lip, slowly, preparing myself for what was about to come out of my mouth.

‘Before I go, I’m sending a message to the culprit.’

I could feel the tension in the room rise. This wasn’t on the prompter.

‘No matter where you hide; what dark alley you lurk in waiting to feast on your prey. I will find you. You aren’t alone in this city.’

I gave my most fierce look into the black screen of the camera willing that my message would get across, and then I heard the beep of the filming ending. I stepped down from the podium and let Wooseok fumble his way getting the mic off me. Hui and Hongseok walked over, a rather stormy look on the Chief’s face.

‘What was that? Feasting prey? I told you not to cause panic.’

He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

‘No matter, I hope we get any bloody breakthroughs with this. The stress is eating me alive, you know I haven’t- ‘

‘Okay Chief we get it.’

Hui cut in, Hongseok nodded and left us.

‘Do you think that was discreet enough?’

Hui finally said to me in a hushed tone, there was an edge to it and I could tell there was something else he wanted to say. I shrugged.

‘I guess we’ll find out.’


	4. A Note

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello hello!
> 
> I'm very sorry I abandoned this piece but I'm back (mainly because I finally know where I'm going with this now lol)  
Please enjoy <3

I woke up the next morning to the dull ring of my phone, the hollow peeps vibrating against the wood of my bedside table gave me a stomach ache. I groaned. I had spent the entire evening and early morning hours waiting in the murky alleys. It’s not true what they say about vampires being burnt by sunlight, it’s not true either that we sleep in coffins. Though our souls are dead our bodies still live: we bleed, we feed, we get tired. It is true however that we are in a weaker state during the day, for night is when our kind thrive, but if one is fully fed; they can live normal daily lives. For me, surviving off whatever blood Hui can sneak from his Mother’s hospital and mostly rats, I need a solid eight hours of sleep. I pushed my face into the soft white pillow and waited for the ringing to end. It didn’t.

‘What is it Hui? I was out all night, I’ve only just – ‘

‘You need to come now.’

Something in his voice made me sit up right, my hair falling in front of my face.

‘What’s happened?’

‘There’s another body.’

My heart sank, and anger began to rise up my throat like bile. They played me like a fool. All night I had waited for them, clinging to the idea they’d understood my ridiculous message and known what I was. But, before I could finish Hui said something that sent chills up my already ice-cold skin.

‘There’s a note attached this time. It’s addressed to you, Hyuna.’

I threw on whatever clothes were closest and grabbed the keys to the car Hui bought me for emergencies and that I’d never really had to use. My stomach was in knots and whether it was from hunger or fear I didn’t know. I’ve only ever been scared twice in my life. The first time was the night I was bitten and the second was when Hui took me home, the night we met. This, however, this was different; it was a gnawing pain that began to take over my entire chest. I felt the air around me grow too thick to breath in. I put the keys in the care clumsily and started the engine; I’d be there soon, I’d see what I’d done. Putting my foot down I focused on the roar of the engine and kept replaying the way Hui’s voice was so sad when he told me.

‘It’s addressed to you, Hyuna.’

I shook my head as if erasing an image on an etch a sketch. It was sirens that greeted me first followed by police cars blurring past my window, they’d all see the devastation I’d brought down before I could even get there and explain myself. We were far past the tall buildings that housed most of the city’s population in cramped apartments. When I pulled up to the scene, Hui was the first person to get to me, he looked dishevelled, his hair was messy, and he wasn’t wearing a tie. He tried to offer me a smile but by the look on my face he dropped his head quick. We were stood outside a house, an average building with a fence and small garden the type of a quaint home, a family home. My head was rushing, and I began to step forward when I felt a warm grip on my arm.

‘Hyuna, before you go in there.’

He wasn’t looking me in the eye but talked to the ground.

‘It’s not your fault.’

The words came like punches after a fifteen-round match; they were heavy and clung to me; part of me hoped they would bruise. An officer in uniform pulled the police tape up for me, he too avoided my eyes. I didn’t need to step further the scent alone was enough to knock me back, enough to know it was brutal. I took a moment to compose myself and walked into the already wide-open door. It was loud. Around me there were at least ten people working on the multiple bodies covered by white sheets, I couldn’t look at them for more than a second and tore my eyes to where the loudest sound was coming from.

‘I don’t care what you have to do. Do not let the press anywhere near this, do you fucking hear me?’

Chief Yang was pacing back and forth; the two young officers in front of him trembled with every word he spat. They scurried off as soon as they saw me causing Hongseok to raise his head. His face softened a little, but the worry lines were already too permanent on his face. In this small house he seemed like a giant, his shoulders broader than the doorway.

‘I’m sorry we woke you.’

He said trying to sound as calm as he could, I looked down and saw I was still wearing just a plain white t-shirt, no jacket, no badge.

‘If you’re cold, you can take this,’

He started to remove his long coat, but I shook my head.

‘Can I see it.’

It wasn’t a question, I needed to see it. I saw him chew it over in his mind and finally he furrowed his brows before leading me into the poorly lit kitchen. Even in here the stench of blood was strong. On a table was several pieces of bagged up evidence and on scene photographs, my eyes glanced over one and I turned my head sharp trying to forget the small figure. Hongseok dragged a piece of paper that was in a plastic bag in front of us. It was the type that had been ripped straight out of an exercise book.

‘Hyuna, if this is too much, you don’t have to read it.’

I could hear that he didn’t want me to, but I shook my head and pulled the bag with the note towards myself.

**Good evening Miss Kim, **

**I hope you don’t mind if I call you Hyuna. **

**Hyuna. That’s a pretty name. **

**And what would a pretty thing like you know about hunting in alley’s?**

**I appreciate the sentiment that I’m not alone, but you see, you haven’t got the faintest clue about me. **

**I must admit I am intrigued by you.**

**I left this present for you, Hyuna, in case you haven’t been doing your job correctly, no that’s wrong – I know you haven’t. I can tell. It’s written all over your face. **

**I hope we will see more of each other. Maybe catch a quick bite sometime, I know this lovely spot where the night comes alive. **

**Dawn. **

I read it again and then again and then for a fourth time.

‘It’s nonsense.’

I heard Hongseok say faintly.

‘Just the killers’ way of tormenting, pay no attention to it. We’ll give it to handwriting experts and see what they can come up with. This is the first interaction we’ve had.’

By now Hui had joined us, I felt his presence by my side and the warmth of his skin on my arm, he was reading over my shoulder and then I heard him swallow. I put the note down and ran my hands over my face, rubbing my eyes. I was tired. I hadn’t fed and suddenly my chest was aching. This person, this ‘Dawn’ had to know I was a vampire. They killed more this time in some sick effort to get me to feed? I was in no way an expert in vampiric culture I’d never seen another, unless you count the one who made me but they were a fragment of a ghost in my memory, was it obvious I wasn’t killing? I turned sharply, pushing past Hui and hearing the intake of breath as my hard shoulder collided with his. He tried to grab me, but I slipped through his fingers and was rushing past the crime scene investigators searching for any air that wasn’t polluted with the stench of death.

Outside I leant against a wall and bent over, heaving so hard I felt like my chest was about to tear apart. The street was draped in fog as I stumbled my way towards my car. Once inside I rested my head against the steering wheel, my hands clasping so hard against it I could feel the skin getting tighter over my bones. I shook my head violently. My thoughts pounded against the glass and everything was loud. I needed to find this Dawn, I needed to stop this, if they knew what I was surely they would want to meet? I heard a faint tap on the window and looked up lazily, Hui was looking at me, his face drawn and hand gripping his arm. I unlocked the car. He climbed into the passenger’s seat and we didn’t say anything for a while. The smell of his cologne was faint and sweet, somehow filling me with comfort. He had a scrape on his knuckle that I hadn’t noticed, the blood around the wound was dark and spotted and I tore my eyes away from it. Catching me, he ran the hand through his messy blonde hair before turning to me.

‘Look,’

He swallowed hard and I watched as his throat moved with the movement.

‘This is fucked.’

His voice was hoarse, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

‘We can’t let this thing keep killing innocent people.’

‘Thing?’

I knew there was venom in my voice, and I didn’t care, he looked me in the eye then.

‘I just mean, this person,’ he emphasised. ‘Isn’t like you Hyuna, they’re...’

‘A monster?’

I finished for him. The word was like a flame spitting from an open fire. The atmosphere in the car was tense and I knew Hui meant well, I knew what he was saying was the truth but part of me felt betrayed. Was this what he thought of my kind? Was this what he really thought of me? After all, I used to kill to survive, it’s what we do. The longer I kept these thoughts in my mind the angrier I got. It was irrational I know, why was I suddenly so defensive about this other vampire, they had done atrocious things but somehow there was a tinge of sympathy lingering in me and it made me sick.

‘I don’t think you’re anything like that.’

Hui interrupted my train of thought and we both leant back into the car seats, the leather stuck to my skin, had I been sweating?

‘The Chief is gonna take care of the note, we’ll keep it out of the press, no one will know about this. You’re safe okay?’

I turned to him and forced myself to smile. I was thankful.

‘What happened?’

I asked him, gesturing towards his hand with my head, trying to change the topic. He looked down at his knuckles and covered them up shyly.

‘Nothing.’

He said a little too fast.

‘What are you going to do?’

The question he’d been wanting to ask me since stepping into my car. It was a heavy question and tied to it was a whole number of meanings. What was I going to do?


End file.
